Regular and punctual attendance is crucial for a child’s future life chances and establishes a positive work ethic early in life. We promote good attendance in assemblies and the newsletters each week.
Pupils will be encouraged to achieve 100% attendance but we appreciate that some absence may be unavoidable. Where this is the case, Parents/Carers should contact the school on the first day of absence to explain the reason and provide an estimate of how long the absence is likely to last.
Then the Parent/Carer must provide a dated note explaining the absence when your child returns to school, if the information has not been communicated by other means.
Term Time Leave of Absence
Due to Government Legislation, the school may no longer authorise family holidays during term time unless there are exceptional circumstances. All requests for term time leave of absences should be put in writing formally to the Headteacher for consideration. This must be done well in advance of any planned leave. Taking holidays during term time can lead to Parent/Carer’s liable for a Fixed Penalty Notice being issued by the Local Authority and/or court action. Click here to find out more information.
Medical Appointments
Dental and medical appointments should, whenever possible, be made outside of the school day. If it is unavoidable that a child should have an appointment during school hours, the school office should be notified and provided with written evidence of the date and time of appointment and when the child will be collected/returned to school. Appointments that are made urgently by telephone should be supported by an appointment card on the pupil’s return to school.
Support with Attendance
Regular attendance is encouraged by the school providing a caring and welcoming learning environment, which motivates and supports pupils, and helps them to feel safe. Our Family Liaison Officer works closely with families to promote early intervention for attendance issues. The Senior Management Team have regular pastoral meetings and highlight continual attendance issues, which may be impacting upon progress and achievement.
Rewards
Good attendance is promoted weekly in assemblies, through displays around the school and in the newsletter. Certificates are issued for good attendance at the end of each term and at the end of the year. There is an attendance league which runs all through the academic year with trophies, medals and prizes for the classes with the highest attendance each term as well as side competitions regularly running for special awards.
Regular consideration is given to the inclusion of other motivational rewards for good attendance and each term an attendance lottery takes place with Amazon vouchers up for grabs for those included in the draw. Children with 98%+ attendance at the end of the year will receive a special award and those with 100% attendance receive awards for excellence in attendance, as well as certificates.
Possible Sanctions
If the pupil’s attendance/lateness gives cause for concern, the Parents/Carers will be informed and it will be monitored for a given period. If necessary, home visits will be carried out. The relevant support will be implemented and individual incentives established. Should there be no improvement in the pupil’s attendance, the case will be progressed and Parents/Carers invited to an attendance review meeting to discuss reasons for absence and to agree targets for improvement. This will involve the Headteacher, Family Liaison Officer and any other relevant member of staff or governor, who will explore the problem and identify any support that may be required by the family. If the absence persists the concern will move to the LA stage three level and taken out of the school’s hands by the LA Attendance Team Manager. Continued persistent absence may result in court prosecution.